| 2007 Dodge Ram 2500 Intake Installation left Side Angle
We took our time with this story. Unlike some of our product installs, which are last-minute thrash fests to bolt on parts, run to the dyno, and report the findings, we've been examining the hidden mileage benefits of some commonly installed products for the past six months and 15,000 miles using our '07 1/2 Dodge Ram Mega Cab with the emissions-neutered 6.7L Cummins.
That's not to say the 6.7L isn't a performer. Its 350 hp and 650 lb-ft move the 8,000-pound barge with authority. But thanks to EPA regulations and Dodge's insistence on coming to market with a 2010 emissions-compliant package a few years early, the first string of 6.7L trucks weren't without their glitches.
For starters, the newfangled diesel particulate filter (DPF) and the use of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) on these 6.7L engines results in a lot of soot entering the turbo and abysmal fuel economy numbers when compared with the early '07 trucks that came with the 5.9L engine. But since the computer management in the 2010-compliant trucks is more complicated, convoluted, and intertwined with every aspect of the vehicle, you can't just slap on an "off-road" exhaust and piggyback a few programmers to boost performance and mileage. The ECM is harder to crack and is able to store more codes and log fuel, timing, and boost parameters. Bottom line? It knows if it has been modded, and because of the high number of warranty issues with these trucks, the factory has begun to look for any reason it can find to void warranties.
| It's old news by now, but S&B will engrave anything you like on the clear plexi filter cover. The new filter draws air from the stock location in the fender as well as from below the filter. We noticed low end acceleration is slightly improved with the S&B filter, but not much top end difference. For sure, the intake is a complementary component that really needs a free-flowing exhaust to shine. Still, we're happy with our ability to hear the variable-geometry turbo sing, and with our better low end seat-of-the-pants performance.
Now, we won't go into arguing the Magnusson-Moss act and how the factory has to prove an aftermarket part contributed to a defect. The point is, they're gonna try-and sometimes you just gotta pick your battles. So, while the aftermarket is hard at work coming up with ways to get around the overly complicated 6.7L engine management system without tripping diagnostic trouble codes, we decided to focus our attention on some areas of our new truck that we knew no dealership in the country could waive the "warranty voided" flag at. These will be modifications that not only make the truck more livable, drivable, and functional, but that will hopefully deliver a hidden benefit of better mileage.
So to kick things off, we're installing an S&B cold-air intake to replace the factory airbox and filter assembly. A cold-air intake is usually one of the first modifications any performance-minded truck owner bolts on. And whether it's for additional power potential, or simply to eliminate the need to purchase a paper panel element every few months, it's always a worthwhile effort. Tune in next month when we'll be adding a SnugTop shell for some added convenience and hopefully some better aerodynamics.
The Mileage ReportHere's the running tally for each installment of this series. Mileage numbers are generated on the same 250-mile mixed freeway and city street circuit and are hand-calculated by noting miles driven and fuel used from the same pump at the same fuel station. Numbers are the average of at least two test circuits.
DP
Stock: 15.55 mpg
S&B Cold-Air Intake: 16.31 mpg
Hidden Benefit: 0.76 mpg
